


nice to meet ya

by attolians (annber)



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Bad Puns, Fluff, M/M, Pure Crack, no beta we die like men, please do not attempt to find a boyfriend this way
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2020-03-03
Packaged: 2021-02-28 07:02:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22999657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annber/pseuds/attolians
Summary: A cracky AU where Buck works in a wedding dress boutique and Eddie is the hot fiancé...or isssssss he?
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 307
Collections: Buddie AU fanfics





	nice to meet ya

**Author's Note:**

> I literally binged say yes to the dress for an entire day. I am trash and I will not apologize. 
> 
> I only did a light read through so sorry for any errors.
> 
> Lena is pretty much ridiculous in this but I really just wanted to have fun and it's my fic so...there.

Buck carefully rearranges the white tulips in the crystalline vase in the tiny lobby of the teeny shop he works in.

He’s whistling quietly as he does, tape measure around his neck like a tie and a handy pen tucked behind his ear.

The bell above the door tinkles and he hears Tina greet whoever just came in behind him.

“Hello!”

“Hi,” an almost as bubbly voice answers. “I’m Lena, this is my fiancé Eddie.”

“Our 10:15, welcome, welcome!”

Buck makes a quarter turn, looking at the couple that just entered.

_Holy sh-_

He has to shake himself immediately.

_Fiancé. Straight. Eddie. Straight. Fiancé._

Rather than greeting the happy couple, he makes a hasty retreat to the backroom.

Buck chugs half a bottle of water and pats down his gelled hair in a perfunctory motion.

He is a goddamn professional.

Just because he’s been single for nearly eight months and is probably touch starved doesn’t mean he needs to jump on a man who is completely not available.

With one more deep breath, he sets his shoulders and sweeps the curtain aside.

Lena is gorgeous in a terrifying way.

Buck’s not exactly a toothpick but he still thinks he can picture her breaking him in a few different ways.

Eddie is…

Buck’s not focusing on Eddie.

He is here for the bride.

Lena.

He’s here to make sure that her special day is everything it’s supposed to be.

Before Buck asks Lena what she would like to start with he already has a few ideas in mind.

Simple. A-line. Minimal flourishes. Or maybe something slinky that rolls down her body in careful, plunging seams.

Buck is rarely wrong about a bride. Even if they start of asking for something different, they’ll end up where he thought they would go before they leave for the day.

“So,” Buck begins, “what’s your date?”

Lena’s eyes slide to Eddie and away again.

For his part, Eddie looks flummoxed by the question.

“Well, that’s part of why we’re here,” Lena answers. “I’m stuck between Spring and Fall so…”

“Just here to get more of an idea today?”

Lena nods excitedly.

“I want to try on the biggest, poofiest dresses you have.”

Buck arches an eyebrow but doesn’t comment.

“I think we can accomplish that. What sort of budget are we working with today?”

Lena only grins wolfishly at that.

“No set budget.”

Buck does his best to focus on Lena for the entirety of the appointment.

Eddie looks about as comfortable as any straight man who’s just had four teeth forcibly removed.

Buck offers him water and makes some light conversation but otherwise leaves him alone.

For her part, Lena seems outwardly thrilled with the dresses.

But something about the whole appointment is bothering Buck – not just Eddie. At least, he doesn’t think.

Could he have just been wrong about what Lena would want?

By the fifth dress Eddie is slumped against the back of the blue curved couch families wait for the bride on.

There’s a _nasty_ yellow and green bruise decorating the sliver of skin that’s exposed on his right side.

“Eddie,” Lena snaps, “you promised.”

Eddie rolls his eyes in response but straightens up when he sees Buck looking at him.

Buck can’t help but regard both of them again.

Sure, Eddie’s taller and thicker than her – but men get abused too.

“Do we want to see a veil with this one?”

Lena’s eyes light up at the suggestion.

“Yes, please.”

Buck uses the distraction to sneak back to the hostess stand.

“Hey, Tina, can you cover the bride just for like…two minutes?”

“Sure,” Tina agrees, mauve lips pulling into a polite smile.

She doesn’t ask on the floor where other people could hear but Buck knows he’ll have to dish once the couple leaves.

“We were going to look at some veils.”

Tina’s eyes light up much like Lena’s had and she toddles off to get to the bride.

She’s all of 5’3” in her wedge heels but she never fails to bring a smile to Buck’s face and always helps out in a pinch.

“I heard we need a veil,” Tina says. “Are we thinking some bling to match this gorgeous dress?”

“You don’t think it will be too much?” Lena asks.

“No way, you can never have too much bling! Let’s go take a look.”

Tina helps with the train to get Lena down off the podium and they make their way over to the accessories section – which is barely five feet away.

Buck rocks from the balls of his feet back to his heels before giving up and taking a seat next to Eddie on the couch.

“Hey man, look I don’t want to make this weird but…are you two like, okay?”

Eddie frowns and then inexplicably blushes at the question.

“Um, yeah. Why?”

“Don’t get me wrong, Lena’s great. But she’s a little scary. And you…” Buck drifts, gesturing to Eddie’s side.

“Oh,” Eddie lets out, cracking a smile. “Nah, I’m a firefighter. We both are. Perks of the job.”

_Well, fuck._

“Okay. Cool. Um. Sorry. I just had a friend who was in a bad relationship. So. Yeah, sorry.”

“No, I uh…appreciate the concern.”

Eddie offers an even warmer smile to accompany the words and Buck realizes suddenly how close they’re sitting.

He shoots back to his feet, nearly adjusting his belt in a nervous gesture.

“Great. Well, did you see anything you liked?”

Buck’s face immediately heats at the implication the words could have.

 _Get your head out of the gutter_.

“Um…they were all…pretty.”

Buck doesn’t bother to hold back his laughter.

Maybe it’s the relief of being wrong about Eddie, not having offended him, but Buck’s laughter fills the entire shop.

“Well,” he offers once he’s caught his breath, “maybe this will be the only shopping trip she drags you on and she’ll just surprise you on the big day.”

Lena and Tina return then and Buck gladly crouches down to help with the train.

He fluffs the veil and stands back again.

“God,” Lena says, looking at herself in the mirror. “I look like such a bride, I can’t believe it.”

Her hands smooth over the lower half of the bodice before gently gripping at the tulle in the skirt.

“It’s gorgeous.”

“You’re gorgeous in it,” Buck returns. “Unfortunately, our time for today is running out. I would love to get your contact information to set up another session though.”

“Absolutely,” Lena says with another grin. “Eds, can you take care of that while I get changed?”

“Uh, sure.”

“Go ahead, give the man your number.”

Buck stalls, unsure if he’s supposed to stay with Eddie or help with the dress.

Luckily, Tina swoops in and helps Lena down and back to the fitting rooms.

“We, uh, have a book up front,” Buck manages.

He can feel himself blushing and when he meets Eddie’s gaze, the shorter man has pink cheeks too.

_Right. Keep it professional. This man is engaged. And cute. And oddly flustered._

Buck’s been single too long. That has to be it.

He’s just projecting onto Eddie because he’s lonely.

“Sure,” Eddie agrees. “Sounds good.”

They make their way up front and Buck has to keep reminding himself (convincing himself?) in his head that he’s imagining this static electricity between them.

They’re just dudes.

Two dudes.

Chilling in a bridal salon five feet away cause they’re not gay.

Well, Buck’s bi but he would happily accept Eddie being gay. Or bi, or pan, or anything other than engaged actually.

It’s not that he believes in love at first sight. He doesn’t. But he does believe in love. He also firmly believes that he needs to chill out and maybe get laid this weekend.

Buck slides the leather book closer to Eddie and offers him the pen from behind his ear.

“Name and phone number, please.”

…

A few weeks pass and while Buck still thinks about Eddie from time to time it’s purely in a casual way.

There are hot fiancés in the shop all the time. It didn’t mean anything.

Hell, Buck saw hot men _all_ the time. Hot women too. This was LA.

The city is huge and chaotic but Buck’s happy to have a little slice of it to call his own.

Quaint apartment, quaint shop, quaint, quiet little life.

He’s making his way out of the Mean Bean coffee shop with coffee for himself, Tina, and Sam in a cardboard carrier when he gets shoved rudely from the right side.

“LAPD! LAPD, get out of the way!”

Buck’s trying to maintain his feet but there’s a lady inches from his left side and he swerves to avoid her – stepping right in front of a bicycle.

The coffees all go flying. The bag of krispy treats and cookies goes flying. Worse than that though, Buck goes flying as well.

Buck’s head cracks against the curb like an ostrich egg. His leg is bent at an awkward angle under him and all he can hear is a low pitched ringing in his ears.

He assumes the police pursuit of whoever shoved him continues without him and he happily lies on the concrete rather than trying to move.

It takes him what feels like half an hour to sit up and his vision is swimming in front of him.

He pats down his jacket pockets, unsure why he’s even doing it. Even once he’s pulled his phone out all he can do is stare at the dark screen.

“Sir, are you alright?”

Buck can only stare at the black man crouched down in front of him. He’s got a hand on Buck’s shoulder and Buck knows he should be able to come up with a response but everything just feels totally scrambled.

He looks around both of them. The cyclist is on the ground too, their arm is bleeding. On the other side a woman is sitting on the ground, her back leaning against a trashcan.

An ambulance and a fire engine arrive on scene. The sirens don’t help Buck’s headache or confusion.

Several firefighters run toward a car accident Buck hadn’t even seen and two more approach their small group on the sidewalk.

“Holy shit,” Buck manages to say.

Finally he’s figured out how to work his mouth and it’s for this.

“You look like you took quite the knock there,” Eddie offers. He crouches down to get on Buck’s level.

“Yeah,” Buck manages.

His mouth is dangerously dry.

“Never even saw it coming.”

“Tell me what happened?” Eddie questions, fishing a slim flashlight out of his shirt pocket.

Buck has to think back for what feels like over a minute. Everything is hazy and Eddie’s close proximity probably doesn’t help.

“I was getting coffee for my coworkers – shit! They don’t know where I am right now!”

“Okay, let’s not worry about that right now. Keep going, follow the light.”

“Right, uh, I was getting coffee and someone shoved me on the sidewalk. I guess the police were chasing them? I tried to keep the coffees balanced which is probably really stupid looking back. Then I tried to avoid hitting this lady and then I guess I stepped into the bike lane because that guy over there hit me – my fault – and then my head definitely hit the curb.”

“You remember that?”

“I remember the sound,” Buck confirms.

“This might be a stupid question but are you having pain in your head?”

Buck laughs, flinching at the resulting pain.

“Yeah.”

“Dizziness, ringing in your ears, nausea?”

“Um. Dizzy. Ringing in my ears – yeah.”

“Okay, I think a concussion is likely. We’re going to want to get you to the hospital. Not sure if there’s room in the ambulance but-”

“Do I have to?” Buck cuts him off, frowning.

Eddie pauses.

“You can refuse treatment,” he says hesitantly. “But, I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“I can’t really afford an ambulance ride or a hospital visit. Can I just see my doctor?”

Eddie’s eyes light in understanding and he nods.

“Do you have anyone to make sure you’re okay tonight?”

_Oh no,_ Buck thinks.

He has to tell this utterly delectable engaged firefighter that he has no one in his life but a beta fish named Frank Ocean.

On the list of things he wants to do…this is pretty fucking low.

“Not really…no. What does making sure I’m okay entail?”

“Not much,” Eddie says. “Just making sure you don’t die in your sleep. You know, basic stuff.”

“I could die in my sleep?” Buck squeaks.

“Shit, sorry. That was supposed to be funny. Um, but yeah someone just needs to make sure you can wake up okay every so often.”

“Why doesn’t he come back to the station with us?”

“Why doesn’t he what?”

“Why don’t I what?”

Lena grins.

“I’m sure I can clear it with Cap. He can borrow your bunk.”

_What the fuck._

“Uh, h-hi Lena. How are you? Did you guys pick a date yet?”

Lena just laughs at him inexplicably and walks away.

Eddie’s face is entirely red when Buck looks back to him.

“I should probably tell you we’re not engaged,” Eddie sighs. “I lost a bet.”

“For Lena to try on wedding dresses?” Buck questions.

 _Is_ he concussed? Is this even happening right now?

“Yeah…it’s uh, complicated.”

“And you’re telling me this now because?”

“I have a son,” Eddie blurts next.

Buck blinks carefully.

“Sorry,” he says, blinking again, “I think I am definitely concussed.”

“Lena’s gonna embarrass the hell out of me if I don’t tell you myself so…”

“So, you are flirting with me?”

Eddie holds up his thumb and index finger very close together.

“Little bit,” he admits. “Trying to. Sorry, I’m really rusty. I also basically assumed you’re not straight because of your job – which is really shitty.”

“I’m bi,” Buck tells him. He can’t help a small smile. “I was also kinda hoping you weren’t engaged.”

“I’m not. I do have a son though,” Eddie reiterates the point with a slight uptick in his jaw, like he’s expecting a poor reaction to this.

“I, uh, I love kids. How old is he?”

“Eight. His name is Christopher. If you’re coming back to the station with us I can show you some pictures.”

“I’d like that,” Buck admits, grinning now.

“Yeah? I could uh, make sure you’re not gonna die.”

“You really are rusty.”

Eddie snorts.

“Literally, zero game.”

“I used to have a lot of game, I can coach you.”

“Used to?”

Buck shrugs quickly, still unsure if he’s actually dreaming this.

“It got boring.”

“Having game got boring?”

“Meaningless sex got boring.”

There’s a throat clearing above both of them.

Eddie shoots to his feet and clears his throat.

“Uh, hey, Cap.”

“Eddie, you wanted to bring a visitor?”

There’s a long, awkward pause.

“Um. Yup.”

“It’s not exactly protocol.”

“I realize that, Sir.”

For the first time, Eddie’s captain cracks a smile.

“None of that ‘sir’ stuff Eddie. This isn’t the Army. Yeah, we have room in the truck; he can ride back with us.”

_The Army?_

Buck can’t help but mouth the words silently to himself.

“Appreciate it, Cap.”

Eddie looks back to Buck.

“You ready to try standing up?”

“You’re not gonna fireman carry me to the truck?”

Eddie blushes again and Buck bites down on a smirk.

“C’mon, what do you bench? 350? 400? You can tell me, I won’t be jealous.”

He may or may not take care to flutter his eyelashes up at Eddie.

“Jesus Christ,” Eddie mutters.

Still, he offers his hands to Buck rather than walking away.

Buck takes Eddie’s hands in his and lets the firefighter pull him to his feet. He ends up swaying dangerously, glad Eddie’s hands are right there to steady him.

“Alright?”

“Yeah, just a little dizzy still. That wasn’t me being a jackass, I promise.”

“More like showing me up on the flirting,” Eddie grumbles under his breath.

Buck huffs out a laugh.

“Don’t worry, I’ll get you on my level.”

Lena returns with a blanket, shaking it out before offering it out to Buck.

“Sorry for wasting your time the other day. No hard feelings?”

“No hard feelings,” Buck confirms, nearly making a joke out of it to see if he could get Eddie to blush again. Instead of pushing his luck, he keeps his attention on Lena. “You didn’t seem like the princess type.”

She snorts at that, shaking her head.

“Not really the bride type. But I guess if I was I’d go for something simpler.”

“Knew it.”

Buck swings the blanket over his shoulders like a cape.

“A-line or fitted, minimal detailing.”

“I don’t know what that means.”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m right.”

With that, Buck sets off toward the firetruck.

He might have a little bit of a swagger to his step but it’s purely because he’s great at his job – not for Eddie’s benefit.

…

Buck will have to make up his hours later in the week but that’s a problem for another day.

For now, he does his best to relax and enjoy some unexpected free time.

As one of the other firefighters helps him out of the truck Buck can’t help but let out a quiet,

“Whoa.”

He’s never been in a fire station before and he’s in awe of the big, open space.

“There’s a TV and some video games up those stairs,” Eddie offers. “You can go relax while we got everything squared away down here. Just don’t fall asleep, okay?”

“Dude, there’s zero chance of that.”

Buck feels an elation like he hasn’t felt in years.

He feels eleven or twelve looking around at the building.

Who didn’t spend a few years wanting to be a fireman or a cop?

True to Eddie’s word there’s a kitchen and living room type set up on the second floor.

He crosses to one of the sofas, sinking onto it gratefully.

Maybe he can’t sleep but at least he can get comfortable.

Buck is still flipping channels when Lena bounds up the stairs.

“Put on _Say Yes to the Dress_ ,” she commands. “You’re the only one who won’t judge me for watching it.”

“I thought you didn’t know what detailing was?”

Lena kicks off her boots and swings her socked feet into Buck’s lap.

“I gotta rep to protect, Buckley.”

“For the people on the sidewalk?”

“Shut up, put it on.”

Buck caves, pulling up the guide to find the right channel.

An hour later there’s a half-eaten bowl of popcorn on the coffee table in front of them and Lena has a paper napkin veil clipped to the top of her head.

She may or may not be using the corners of it to dab at her eyes as needed.

Buck doesn’t call her out on it – he’s been a bit choked up himself over a couple different brides.

When the last episode ends Lena climbs to her feet and flounces to the kitchen, paper napkin fluttering behind her as she goes.

“What’s for dinner, Cap?”

“We are having stuffed peppers, would you like to help?”

“Oh, I would _love_ to,” she pauses, biting into an apple from the bowl of fruit on the counter, “but I’m keeping our guest entertained.”

“I thought he was Eddie’s guest.”

“I don’t know where Eddie is.”

Lena returns to the sofa, grabbing the remote and changing the input before standing again to power on an XBOX. She drops one of the controllers between them on the couch before sitting again with the other in her hand.

“You sure you want to do this?”

“Positive,” Lena says breezily.

Eddie doesn’t appear for about half an hour. Even then it’s only to sit in one of the chairs beside the sofa and watch.

Lena gives up eventually, putting the controller on the coffee table.

“This was a set up. You hustled me.”

“You wanted to play,” Buck laughs.

“You work at a wedding dress boutique and you’re into Eddie – you weren’t supposed to be good at video games.”

“Because no one can like video games and wedding dresses?”

“Whatever,” Lena grumbles.

“Don’t worry about her,” Eddie says, leaning forward to take the controller, “she’s a sore loser.”

“I guess,” Buck responds, smiling at Eddie. “Are you?”

“You’re not gonna get the chance to find out.”

“You sure about that?”

Eddie grinned and left the chair to join Buck on the sofa.

Hours later, Buck is feeling wholly too content for how this day began.

His stomach is full of amazing food and he’d spent the better part of the day laughing with the men and women who called this station their home.

It’s almost like having a family again.

Eddie lends him pajamas, blushing delicately as he does, and Buck can’t help feeling a warmth in his chest as he puts on Eddie’s soft navy sweatpants and even softer grey shirt.

“I’ll wake you up in about two hours,” Eddie whispers, wary of everyone already sleeping.

Buck sighs before smiling playfully.

“If you must.”

“I must.”

Eddie stands again and Buck’s not sure if he’s climbing on the top bunk or going somewhere else to sleep but he doesn’t want Eddie to go – not yet.

“Hey, uh, you never showed me pictures of your son.”

An impossibly fond look spreads over Eddie’s face.

“Christopher, right?” Buck checks.

He definitely remembers but he still preens at the grateful little smile that plays over Eddie’s lips.

“Alright, scoot over.”

Buck turns onto his side, lifting himself up on his elbow before patting a few inches of space by his hips.

Eddie sits in the space, close enough for Buck to feel the heat coming off his back.

He bites the inside of his cheek and redirects his attention to Eddie’s phone screen.

Eddie flicks across a couple random photos before settling on one of a grinning boy in glasses.

Buck might have to remind himself he doesn’t believe in love at first sight.

“He’s adorable, Eddie.”

Another few pictures slide across the screen and then it’s a picture from further away, Christopher now leaning on two small crutches but his smile just as bright.

“He’s got CP but he’s literally one of the bravest people I know. Never complains. I don’t know where he gets it from.”

“Really?” Buck teases. “His veteran firefighter father doesn’t know where he gets it from?”

Buck can’t tell in the dim light but he can guess that Eddie’s blushing again.

“You _are_ single, right? Because I can’t see how a package deal this sweet is still sitting on the shelf.”

An embarrassed half laugh slips from Eddie’s mouth.

“Definitely single, yeah.”

“It can be a lot sometimes,” Eddie adds quietly.

The air between them seems to drop a few degrees and Eddie even leans further away before standing again.

“My schedule, this job, his doctor’s appointments…it’s a lot.”

“Well, I was hoping we could start with coffee. Maybe dinner. But if you’re proposing right now I _do_ know where to get us some pretty sick discounts on tuxes.”

Eddie chuckles.

“Alright – fair point.”

“C’mon Eddie…say yes to the mess.”

“Dios mío.”

Eddie runs a hand down his face.

Buck leans forward to catch it.

“Say yes to the caress?” He runs his hand over the back of Eddie’s hand, reveling in the warmth.

Oh yeah, definitely touch starved.

“Wait, I got it – say yes to the success.”

“Please stop, I can’t take it.”

Buck acquiesces, releasing Eddie’s hand and lying back on the slim bunk again.

“You claim to have all this game and you missed the best one.”

Buck’s eyebrow raises at the obvious challenge in Eddie’s voice.

“Yeah?”

“Say yes to undress.”

Nearly choking on his own tongue, Buck doesn’t have the chance to reply or argue his case over his puns being better.

Eddie winks and climbs up onto the top bunk.

 _He left out the,_ Buck thinks vaguely.

Buck considers himself a pun connoisseur at the best of times and while Eddie’s pun was technically lacking…it was still one of the hottest things Buck has heard leaving anyone’s mouth.

He flops back onto his pillow, half tempted to fan his face.

…

Buck wakes up with crusty eyes and a stale mouth.

Everyone else is already up, though Buck’s not sure how.

Eddie had only woken him up three or four times and was always brief with it but Buck still doesn’t feel well rested.

Still, he sits up and stretches out his back before getting out of the bunk.

He visits the bathroom and puts on yesterday’s clothes, glad he only bled on his black jacket and it’s not visible now.

“Hey,” Eddie greets him when he makes his way upstairs. “You missed breakfast but shift’s over in about three hours if you need a ride back to your car.”

“That sounds good,” Buck says after a brief hesitation.

He’s not quite surprised to find that he doesn’t want to leave.

There’s an ugly, lonely feeling brewing in his chest and he does his best to shove it down.

Forcing a smirk onto his face he meets Eddie’s eyes again.

“You’re gonna give me your phone number though, right?” Buck questions.

“Only if you promise to call.”

“Scout’s honor.”

Eddie calls him on it immediately.

“Were you a scout?”

“No. But I will call.”

“Alright. But for the record – your game is absolutely terrible.”

Buck leans just a bit closer. He thinks very seriously about kissing Eddie right there in the middle of the station.

“I’m pretty sure a W is still a W.”

Eddie doesn’t argue further but there’s a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he digs out his phone and hands it over. 

**Author's Note:**

> hi hi, thank you so much for reading! I'm over [ here ](https://rnercutieo.tumblr.com/) if you would like to cry with me about buddie at any time


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